Roundel Articles

I can already picture it, me and the family cruising down the highway, heading toward Nana and Papa’s house. A few white flakes fall from the sky, but there’s no sign of accumulation. Then, without warning, it happens: “Daddy, are we there yet?”

As I’ve mentioned repeatedly over the past several columns, for the last two months I was in Denver on a geophysical survey (I just got back last Thursday). I did get home for Thanksgiving, however, and was able to deal with snow tires, which made Maire Anne happy.

Lately I have been getting lots of questions, people asking what my racing plans are for next season. I would absolutely love to be able to say that I am racing a full season in the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship GTD class. Unfortunately, it is so much more complicated than just being able to decide to drive wherever I want.

First, let me say that I’m floored by all of the responses I received to my Vixen series. Although some folks were cheering me on to buy the hobbled beast, most expressed relief—as, honestly, did I—that I passed on the project. Janet Barnes, my editor at Bentley Publishers, said, “I was very relieved to learn that, so far, reason has won out in your flirtation with the Vixen,” a line so good that I kick myself for not having thought of it.

Passion is something that cannot be bought, nor is it something that can easily taught. Passion for something, whether it be a hobby, work, or a cause, can be summed up by a simple equation: when the time invested is easily outweighed by the results or enjoyment one takes from what they do.